Dormouse Rescue

Publié le 18 mars 2010 par justinetime

the Joys & Pitfalls of Hibernation

A hibernating Dormouse curls up in the palm of a hand, blissfully unaware it has just been rescued from almost certain death in sub-zero temperatures.

The tiny animal can only be held for just a few seconds because its carer's warming touch would wake it prematurely.

Dormouse expert Dave Williams saved the three-inch creature from a back garden where he was left exposed to frost, wind and rain.

It may have died if left exposed to freezing temperatures or struggled to find the seeds, nuts and berries it eats if woken early.

Mr Williams said: 'A gardener was cutting back a box hedge when they noticed this tight ball of grass on the ground.

'They had seen a Dormouse earlier in the year by their compost heap & suspected it may be a nest, so they covered it with cuttings and called me.

'The mouse was healthy but it was too exposed and I was not prepared to leave it.

'I took the mouse and nest to the Wildlife Aid centre where staff are keeping an eye on it.'

'It will have a good supply of fruit, hazelnuts and sunflower seeds when it wakes and once it has been fed up it will be released back into the garden.'

Hazel Dormice measure six to nine centimetres (2.4 to 3.5 inches) long and weigh 17 to 20 grams (0.60 to 0.71 oz).
This weight can double prior to hibernation. It has golden-brown fur and large black eyes and is the only Dormouse native to the British Isles.

It is nocturnal and a protected species.

Thank You Asta ((-;